Fluid dispensing apparatus



July 14, 1959 E. A. J. MROZ I 2,894,664

FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 13, 1957 5 INVENTOR. EOMU/VO /7. J Maz United States Patent FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Edmund A. J. Mroz, Stoneham, Mass.

Application September 13, 1957, Serial No. 683,885 Claims. (Cl. 222-418) My invention relates to apparatus for circulating and dispensing fluid systems and more particularly to apparatus for circulating and dispensing dispersions or suspensions such as gravies, preserves or jellies or other fluid systems containing solid particles which may be of substantial size.

There are many fluid-solid systems, particularly prepared food stuffs, such as pie filling, which comprise a fluid system in which a plurality of solid particles of varying kinds and densities are more or less suspended while the mass is being agitated or stirred. However, when the fluid mass is not being agitated the larger and more dense solid particles fall to the bottom of the container and out of suspension.

In recent years, more and more prepared food stuffs, such as meat pies and fruit pies have been packed commercially and sold in the ordinary grocery trade whereas in by-gone years these same products were available only through local bakeries or delicatessens. The commercial packing of this type of prepared food product is, and will continue to be, a growing industry.

One of the more serious problems associated with the commercial packing or dispensing of fluid systems containing solid particles of varying densities (sometimes referred to hereinafter as the dispersion) is the problem of maintaining substantial uniformity of the mass so that one serving or portion will contain substantially the same ingredients as the next and so that the first serving of a given batch will contain approximately the same ingredients as the last serving of that batch. Thickening agents are commonly used in such systems to minimize the effect of the differential between densities of the various solid ingredients. These thickening agents, however, are not altogether satisfactory and the result is that the dispersion must be kept in a state of continuous agitation. Because of the problem of separation of solids from the liquid many commercial packers still prefer to ladle out the dispersion into the receptacle in which it is to be sold. Others have found that they can pump the dispersion from the make-up container (that is the container in which the dispersion is made) to the receptacle in which it is sold providing the dispersion is agitated or stirred in the line between the make-up container and the point where the dispersion is dispensed into the container for its sale.

Various by-pass systems have been proposed for maintaining the desired degree of agitation between the makeup tank and the point of dispensing the dispersion; however, these prior art by-pass systems have not been altogether satisfactory because they are subject to becoming vapor bound or vapor locked. When such a system becomes vapor bound, that is, when the by-pass line becomes filled with gas, such as air or other vapor, no circulation of the dispersion occurs in the system and the solid particles settle out of the suspension. When this occurs, the entire system plugs up and has to be disassembled cleaned out and the pump must be primed before the dispensing operation can again function.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus for eificiently dispensing fluidsolid dispersions. It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing fluid-solid dispersions which apparatus has a novel by-pass line to facilitate continuous agitation of the dispersion. It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for dis pensing fluid-solid dispersions which apparatus may be primed without dismantling. A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing fluidsolid dispersions which apparatus is portable, that is, the apparatus may be connected to any one of multiple makeup tanks without the great inconvenience of dismantling the entire system. Another object of this invention is to provide a novel discharge to suction by-pass system in an apparatus for dispensing fluid-solid dispersions in order to provide ready means for priming the pump and other components of the system. These and other objects will become more apparent from the following description of my apparatus and from the claims.

I accomplish these objects by providing a circulatory system defining a closed path and containing a pump, and by connecting the outlet side of the pump to the inlet side of the same pump by the closed path, and by providing in said circulatory system a pair of rotary joints so that the closed path may be revolved about the pump, and by providing a means for introducing the dispersion into the circulatory system at a point upstream of the pump but in close proximity to the pump and by providing a means for dispensing the fluid from the circulatory system downstream of the pump.

These and other features of my invention will be fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment thereof. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic side elevation, parts of which are in sectional view, showing the apparatus of my invention in the upright position (in solid line) and in depressed or priming position (in broken line), the apparatus being mounted on a suitable dolly.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, front elevation of the by-pass system of the apparatus of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, a jelly or meat pie filling is prepared in make-up tank 10 which may be a jacketed vessel as indicated by the jacket 12, or may be any vessel suitable for the purpose. Make-up tank 10 is supported at a suitable distance from the ground by a platform 14, and is provided with a stirrer 16 for maintaining its contents in a suitable state of agitation so that the solid particles do not separate out of the dispersion. A motor 18, through a suitable gearing arrangement 19, drives agitator 16. Valve 20, which is located at the lower extremity of make-up tank 10, is maintained in a closed condition while the contents of the tank are being prepared. A steam trap 22 may be provided to make-up tank 10 to remove water which is condensed in jacket 12. Take off line 24, which connects with valve 20 and make-up tank 10 provides means of egress from tank 10 for the contents thereof. Line 24 communicates with my novel circulation system through a union 26 which connects with a line 28 that, in turn, communicates with my circulation system upstream of pump 30 and preferably in close proximity thereto. A dolly 32, which may be suspended on suitable casters 34, provides support for the other components of my apparatus. An upright member 35, which is secured to the dolly by an appropriate fastening means 36, and is suitably braced by one or more obliquely disposed bracing members 37 which are also fastened to the dolly through fastening means 38 (as illustrated), provides support for rack member 39. A thumb screw fastener 40, or other adjustable fastener, provides means for adjusting the position of rack member 39 along the length of upright members 35 for support of my apparatus, as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

As shown, my dispensing apparatus includes a pump 36, preferably of the positive displacement or rotary vane type, a motor or other suitable means 42 for driving the pump, lines 44 and 46 which respectively lead to and from the pump, a swivel joint in each of these lines herein represented by swivel L members 48 and 54B and a gen erally U-shaped line 52 which connects with both of the aforementioned L members. in lieu of swivel L-shaped members, I may, of course, use ordinary L members and use straight line swivel members in lines 44 and 46. Downstream of pump 30, a take off line 54 connects with line 46 through a suitable T member 56. A flexible tubing 58, hereinafter referred to as the discharge member, connects with line 54 and terminates with a suitable dispersing nozzle 68 and a valve 62, by means of which, the amount of fluid dispensed may be controlled.

As the mixture is being made up in tank itl, agitator 16 is kept in motion. This keeps the solid particles of the mixture in suspension. Rack 39 is lowered by loosening thumb screw 4t"). Line 52 is rotated about pump 3% to the position indicated by the broken line marked 52A.

After the mixture is prepared, pump 30 is activated by activating motor 42 and valve 20 is opened. The mixture passes from tank 10 through take off line 24- to line 44 and thence to pump 39. From pump 30, the mixture passes into the novel by-pass line which leads from the discharge side of the pump and terminates on the suction side of the pump. This system includes line 46, L member 48, U line 52 which includes connecting line 53, L member 5% and line 44. Valve 62 is opened and the mixture passes along line 58 to the dispensing nozzle 69. The system being completely primed, valve member 62 is closed and line 52 is rotated to its upright position. Rack 39 is raised to engage connecting line 53 and is fastened in position by tightening thumb screw 40.

In lieu of a thumb screw fastening arrangement for rack 39 it will, of course, be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the rack may be pivotably connected to upright 35 and held in position to engage line 52 by a resilient member or a suitable spring arrangement. Or, line 52 may be held in the upright position merely by allowing it to rest against upright member 35.

In order to maintain a suitable head of fluid in line 58 and valve 62, the discharge member line 58 and its components should be maintained in such a position that it is always below the level of the upper member 53 of line 52 when line 52 is in the upright position. In the absence of a suitable head in line 58, the fluid dispensing device may not operate in its most eflicient fashion.

When the system is primed the fluid dispersion is being continuously agitated by the action of pump 30 which forces the dispersion around the by-pass line. As receptacles are presented to nozzle 68, valve 62 is opened until the proper amount of fluid is discharged whereupon Valve 62 is closed until the next receptacle is presented.

I have found that my novel by-pass which goes directly from the discharge side of pump 38 to the suction side thereof in combination with the swivel joint arrangement in the by-pass line, provides a dispensing apparatus of exceptionally high efliciency and an apparatus requiring little or no shut-down time for maintenance. If at any time the system becomes vapor bound or vapor locked, the trouble can be easily remedied by lowering the by-pass line to the position indicated by 52A and opening valve 62. When this is done the vapor is expelled either through the pump 3%} or through line 58 and the system once again functions.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing fluids which comprises a pump having an inlet means and an outlet means, a circulatory system defining a closed path connecting said inlet means and said outlet means and containing means for rotating said circulatory system about said pump, means for introducing fluid to the circulatory system on the inlet side of said pump, means for discharging fluid from the circulatory system on the outlet side of said pump and means for controlling the flow of fluid through the discharge means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the circulatory system comprises a pair of rotatable L members, one of said L members being downstream and the other upstream of said pump and each of said members being rotatable about its aXis which passes through the pump.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for discharging the fluid from the circulatory system includes a flexible tubular member.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 in which the pump is a positive displacement pump.

5. Apparatus for dispensing fluid which comprises a positive displacement pump having an inlet means and an outlet means, means for driving said pump, a line leading to and connecting with the inlet means, a line leading from the pump, a tubular T member engaging with the line leading from the pump and providing a continuation thereof and providing a leg leading from said line, a discharge member comprising a flexible tubing which connects with the leg of said T, a valve in said discharge member to control the flow of fluid therethrough, a rotatable L joint in said line leading from the pump downstream of the T, a generally U-shaped tubular member providing a closed path one leg of said U connecting with said rotatable L joint, a second rotatable L joint which connects with the other leg of said U-shaped member, a line connectin with said second rotatable L joint and joining with the inlet of said pump and a means for introducing the fluid into the system upstream of the pump.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FIKV 

